This invention relates to a metallic cardiac valve prosthesis, the main characteristics of which are a reduced profile, and offering two varieties, an aortic and a mitral.
The heretofore existing metallic cardiac valve prosthesis devices present various problems, among which the most important is the system of the flow of blood. The prothesis of this invention overcomes these problems and mainly that of the mentioned flow of blood, obtaining a better yield in cardiac capacity, both for the aortic as well as for the mitral variety. A more physiological flow of blood is obtained which is considerably better than with all the heretofore existing metallic cardiac valve prosthesis devices.
Thus, the prosthesis of this invention includes a ring, the outer contour of which is circular and the inner contour of which is oval. An oval-shaped lenticular plug, constituting the movable element of the valve, is articulately housed in the ring.
The lenticular plug is articulated to the ring by two steps formed opposite to each other in the inner perimeter of the ring, as well as by two pivots which project inwardly of the body of the ring and which are housed in grooves or recesses made in the lenticular plug.
The imaginary axis of articulation of the lenticular plug, established by the mentioned pivots and grooves, is established in the plug in a direction parallel to the minor axis of the plug and off-center of the plug, so that one-third of the surface of the plug in on one side of the axis of articulation and the remaining two-thirds of the surface of the plug is on the other side of the axis of articulation.